Duke attended a rally, which was broadcast on Syrian state-run television, where he condemned Israel as a war-mongering country and referred to the "Zionists occupying New York."

"I come from the peace-loving people in America to the peace-loving people of Syria," Duke said, adding that, "I come from the peace-loving people in America to your great peace-loving President of Syria."

Each of Duke's proclamations were repeated in Arabic by a translator, at which point the camera provided an alternate angle showing a crowd of Syrians, waving cardboard flags and cheering on cue. Following Duke's statement praising Assad, the crowd was shown chanting, "Our soul and our blood we will sacrifice for you, Bashar."

"It saddens my heart to tell you that part of my country is occupied by Zionists, just as part of your country, the Golan Heights, is occupied by Zionists. [They] occupy most of the American media and now control much of the American government…It is not just the West Bank of Palestine, it is not just the Golan Heights that are occupied by the Zionists, but Washington D.C. and New York and London and many other capitals of the world."

"Your fight for freedom is the same as our fight for freedom," Duke proclaimed, adding that it is the Zionists who prefer war over peace, but that people around the world will tell them, "No war for Israel," [in reference to the claim that the United States is in Iraq on Israel's behalf-ed]. Duke tried to lead the local demonstrators in an English chant of "No war for Israel."

Duke, a former "Grand Wizard" in the Ku Klux Klan, was elected to the Louisiana Legislature in 1989, but failed in subsequent election bids.

Syrian parliament member Muhammad Habash said that Duke's visit gave Syrian's a "new and very positive view of the average American."

The video, with subtitles provided by the Middle East Media Research Institute, can be viewed by clicking here.